Lens

People I'm Praying For Today

1. I don't listen to a lot of country music, so had not heard of the husband and wife duo, Joey & Rory Feek, until recently. Joey (the wife) has a terminal cancer diagnosis, a devoted husband, and a small almost-two-year-old daughter. Their story just tugs at your heartstrings. I pray that her wish comes true to spend another Christmas with her family and see Indy turn two in February. I plan to buy their album of hymns that is due out on Valentine's Day. 
2. I'm praying for Kayla Aimee, a writer, blogger, wife, & mother to the irrepressible Scarlette, who is expecting her second child and experiencing debilitating hyperemesis gravidarum, as well as placenta previa, and has a concern about the baby's kidneys. She wrote a book about her and her husband Jeff's experience of having Scarlette at 25 weeks, followed by a very fraught stint in the NICU. I pray that her HG will subside, that she will be able to have a much, much longer pregnancy with this baby, that she will have a safe delivery, and that the baby will be healthy.
3. I pray for Kate McCrae, a sweet little girl about my daughter's age who has survived three bouts of brain cancer. I pray for her health, for her quality of life, for her parents and siblings. 
4. I'm praying for Deborah, a friend of a friend, who was hospitalized this week with an illness. I pray for her recovery. 

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 163 (WOYWW)

Happy Wednesday! It's that magical day each week wherein some of the world's artists and crafters show each other "what's up" on our work tables. This party is hosted by Mrs. Julia, so hop on over there to see her post and a list of other participants to visit. 

My big news this week is that I'm back in my room!  Hip, hip, hooray! Here are some pictures. There are a few details to attend to eventually (something for the windows -- I gave the other shades to my daughter -- and a desk chair -- the matching one had longstanding "issues") -- but I'm very happy with it. 

This is the view from the doorway:

This is the bookcase to the left of the table:

Here is the table, set up in a similar way to the way it was before. The bin holding my stamps was my color inspiration for the walls. :) I have fewer punches on the windowsills, deciding to use that space differently. I don't have anything started at the moment; the piles of stuff are memorabilia and pictures from our Washington DC trip last May. 


Where a somewhat cluttered and messy card table once stood, I've instead moved one of the bookcases. Not sure whether the heart canvas will stay there. 


One of my favorite details: the cut glass dishes holding embellishments. I had the one in the center before and found the other two at a garage sale over the weekend. 



My desk. It's a reproduction, obviously, but I'm fond of it. 


Another bookcase and a piece of DIY furniture from Target. The lamp has a design on the shade when lit that is very pretty. I wish the drawer unit on top had fit in the unit, but it's slightly too big. 

Thanks for taking the tour, friends. Hope you're having a great day.

~ Laura

WOYWW #135 | What's on Your Workspace (or Work Desk) Wednesday

After a couple of weeks during the holidays where I did do stuff, but not necessarily on Wednesday, here my messy table and I are -- back again.  :)  To find out what this is all about or to find the linked list of other folks who are participating, go here.  I took my pictures Wednesday evening and am just getting a chance to post them now.

I actually like leaving things out, in progress -- it makes it easier to jump back in.  Well, except when it gets too messy (there seems to be a tipping point) and I need to neaten up to begin again. (Please note new MS snowflake punch and new Hero Arts bicycle stamp -- woo!)

This will be a scrapbook page when it grows up.  I've got some scribbled notes from the first day of school, some pictures, and some pencils cut from that Cosmo Cricket paper in The Boyfriend line of a few years ago.  Not sure what else I'll use, yet. 


This pile consists of punched scraps that I always think I'm going to use and rarely do.  I already made one card with them, and plan to make more before these are either added back to the scrap bowl or tossed.
 

I made the stamped part of this card while taking Jennifer McGuire's online class called Inspiration Showcase  It's been sitting around forlornly ever since, so I decided to make a birthday card with it.  I had just glued down the ribbon when I took this picture -- thankfully it dried clear, because it doesn't look lovely here!  I like "simple," but I think I need something else to complete this card -- maybe some bling near the sentiment or some buttons or brads next to the ribbon?  Can't decide.


And these are some cards destined for the mail -- two birthday cards and a thank you card.

Thanks for visiting! 

WOYWW | What's on Your Workspace (or Workdesk) Wednesday

As a perusal of some recent posts will show, I've been using up some K & Company Flora & Fauna papers to make cards for Christmas gifts.  That's what's in the white bins on the table.  (The bins come in a packaged food item my husband likes and they are perfect for temporarily holding stamps to be cleaned (or put away) or for a paint tray, etc.)  I wanted to take a picture of a card before I left for work this morning, because the only time I get a tiny bit of light in the room is in the morning. Like my fancy "photo studio" -- a/k/a a piece of white card stock propped on the table?  :)  (The card in question is in this post.  Created beginning when I should have been going to sleep -- does that happen to anyone else?  I get more motivation at bedtime than practically any other time!) 

If you want to show your glorious (or not so glorious) workspace, join in here.

9/11 remembrance post on my other blog

Ten Years Later

A Cool Gift from Ali Edwards

If you visit Ali Edwards' blog, you'll find a sweet gift there.  A definite cheerer-upper on this gloomy, rainy Thursday. 

I think this is a railroad tie

Photo Resolutions, Anyone?

"RESOLUTION IDEA #1: Take More Photos! . . . Take a photo every single day — Doesn’t matter what it’s of, doesn’t matter if you upload it that day, just take a photo of something. . . RESOLUTION IDEA #2: Experiment with Your Photographic Style! Try doing things a bit differently to inject variety into your photography!

   . . . RESOLUTION IDEA #3: I’ve been meaning to do __________
Some photo housekeeping you’ve been putting off. Just make sure to make it fun!" [Photojojo]

Birthday Balloons

 

There were dozens of helium balloons at a child's birthday party I attended
earlier this summer.  Very fun and festive.  And I thought this particular
Photoshop Elements filter looked cool.

Alphabetical Spices

From many bottles all over the kitchen to alphabetized neatness
-- a very satisfying organizational project!